28th February, 2019
The Ekiti Government on Thursday tasked members of the newly recruited personnel of the state Peace Corps, popularly known as “Dagrin” to exercise their powers within the limit of the law.
The State Commandant of the Corps, Mr Dele Owoju, gave the charge in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, at the inauguration of the corps.
Owoju in Ado-Ekiti that Gov. Kayode Fayemi had approved the recruitment of new intakes to replace those who left the corps in all the 16 local government areas of the state.
Fayemi set up the state-owned security outfit during his first tenure to assist police in traffic and related matters.
However, following their disbandment by immediate past Gov. Ayodele Fayose in 2014, the incumbent governor this month approved the recall of the personnel numbering about 800.
Owoju disclosed that members of the corps would not be allowed to carry arms and ammunition and limit themselves within the law.
According to him, anyone who runs foul of the law would be prosecuted.
He charged them to resolve only civil matters and report other cases to the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) within their respective jurisdictions.
“You can only arrest and hand over to the police, or intervene to settle civil matters.
“You are to complement the efforts of the police force in the state; but for those that are newly recruited, all arrangements have been concluded with the Ekiti Police Command, to train you with a view to assisting the police in securing the state,” he said.
He said that the state governor was committed to working with the police and security agencies in the state to make Ekiti safe for all the citizens.
He said the government did not establish the security outfit to either rival with the police, or any other security agencies, but to join hands with them to rid the state of criminals.
He added that the governor had approved the immediate release of take-off grant to members of the corps.
One of the newly recruited personnel from Ikere Local Government Area, Oyediran Temitope, in an interview with NAN, thanked Fayemi for restoring the Peace Corps in the state.